A Study of the Book of Luke
Sermon # 4
“The Waiting Game”
Luke 2:21-38
The events recorded in the second half of Luke, chapter two are important, they have to be important because they are the only events from the infancy of Jesus that Luke chooses to highlight. Luke no doubt had many incidents he could have recorded for history, but he chose the presentation of Jesus and the proclamations of Simeon and Anna. Here two godly saints appear in the Temple and proclaim for the world that Jesus is indeed the long awaited Messiah, Savior of the world. Their goals and priorities and their persistent lives of faithfulness are examples for the ages. There are three ceremonies that are condensed into just a few verses.
First, is the ceremony of circumcision (v. 21), it was at this point that the child is officially given his name. “And when eight days were completed for the circumcision of the Child, His name was called JESUS, the name given by the angel before He was conceived in the womb.” Both Mary and Joseph had been told separately by an angel to name the child Jesus. The angel said to Joseph, “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins." (Matt. 1:21). Gabriel’s announcement to Mary was similar, “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bring forth a Son, and shall call His name JESUS” (Luke 1:31).
The name Jesus is the Greek version of the Hebrew name Joshua, it means “Jehovah saves.” His name was to be Jesus because his mission was to save His people from their sins.
The second ceremony is the redemption of the first-born. When a Jewish family redeemed their first-born they were acknowledging that this child belonged to God. Much as we do in our church when we dedicate a baby to the Lord. This incident reminds us of how highly God values human life and how important he considers the special moments of consec-ration. God has given children to parents as a sacred trust – to name them, shape them, then send them out on their own. What a privilege, parenthood is in sharing the life that God has created.
The third ceremony was the purification of Mary.
Verse twenty two, “Now when the days of her purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord (23) (as it is written in the law of the Lord, “Every male who opens the womb shall be called holy to the LORD”), (24) and to offer a sacrifice according to what is said in the law of the Lord, “A pair of turtledoves or two young pigeons.”
It would seem that Joseph and Mary combined the presentation or dedication of Jesus and the purification of Mary into one visit at the Temple. Thus Jesus would have been approximately six weeks old at the time of his presentation. It is probable that the first sign of the identity of this child that was given to Simeon was when he was told that his name was Jesus.
The fact that Mary needed cleansing is indicative of the fact that she like everyone else was not sinless. As Mary paid the price of her purification little did she realize that the baby boy in her arms would one day pay the ultimate price of the ultimate sacrifice so that she and all who would receive it would receive the ultimate cleansing.
In the redemption ceremony, the father brought the child to a priest. The mother was not obligated to attend but often did so. The priest held the child while the father gave the priest five silver shekels in the place of his son. The priest then returned the child to the father.
The humble sacrifice would suggest that they were too poor to bring a lamb (2 Cor 8:9). But he was the lamb.
Now according to verse twenty-five the young couple met a man named Simeon, “And behold, there was a man in Jerusalem whose name was Simeon, and this man was just and devout, waiting for the Consolation of Israel, and the Holy Spirit was upon him.”
The name Simeon means “hear and obey.” We are told very little about this man, Simeon. He is not mentioned anywhere else in scripture. We do not know anything about his family, whether or not he was married or had any children. We are told nothing about his occupation, although some assume because of his presence in the temple that he was a priest. The only things we are told are the things that matter most to God – things which pertain to his character and his relationship with God.
We are told that he was “just and devout.” “Just” shows that he behaved well towards other men and “devout” signifies that he was careful about his religious duties.
We are also told that he was a man of faith and hope. The wisdom and faith of this man is seen in that he is looking for the hope of the nation, the consummation of God’s promise, “the consolation of Israel.” He has not given up believing that God will complete his promise, and his living in the light of that hope brings perspective to the present.
He was also a man who “the Holy Spirit was upon” or he was “filled by the Holy Spirit.” Rarely before the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost are individuals said to be continually endowed by the Holy Spirit. The fact that the Holy Spirit was continually upon Simeon is an indication of his devout character.
Note with me four characteristics of the individuals of this story
1. HE CAME TO THE RIGHT PLACE TO FIND JESUS
The scripture says that the Holy Spirit was upon him and that he was led by the Holy Spirit to be in the Temple on this particular day. Verse 26 reveals, “And it had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death before he had seen the Lord’s Christ. (27) So he came by the Spirit into the temple.”
Simeon’s devotion to the Temple is a reminder to the Christian of the importance of faithfulness to the Church. The church exist as a worship center. We come here to worship God. To sing praises and lift up his name. We come to worship.
The church is also a Nurturing center. That is why the writer of Hebrews reminds us, “not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some, but exhorting one another…” (Hebrews 10:25). The church is also a Redemptive Center, a place where we can learn how to be forgiven and brought into the family of God.
2. HE PERSONALLY RECEIVED CHRIST
Recognizing Jesus to be the Messiah, this elderly man took the child into his arms and blessed God. Verse twenty-seven continues with, “… And when the parents brought in the Child Jesus, to do for Him according to the custom of the law, (28) he took Him up in his arms and blessed God.”
This man who knew that God held him in the palm of His hand, now holds God in his arms! That is an awesome thought.
3. HE EXPERIENCED TRUE PEACE WITH GOD
With the baby in his arms, secure in God’s promises, Simeon experienced a profound sense of peace with God. In verse 29 Simeon says, “Lord, now You are letting Your servant depart in peace, According to Your word; (30) For my eyes have seen Your salvation Which You have prepared before the face of all peoples.”
Having seen Jesus and knowing Him, Simeon is at peace. Everything else in his life pales in comparison. He has met Jesus, and the details of the rest of his life are irrelevant. Paul gives a similar testimony in Philippians 3:1-12, where he says that for him everything he has done in his life as an accomplished successful Pharisee is like Garbage when compared with knowing Jesus and serving Him.
Literally Simeon now says, “Now, Lord, dismiss or release your servant in peace according to your word.” The verb means to release or dismiss one from an assignment or task. He is saying, “Now my life is complete, fulfilled, now I am ready to die.” The reason for Simeon’s peaceful state is that he has seen the salvation of the Lord. Salvation is not just something Jesus did it is also who He was. He himself was and is the embodiment of salvation. The writer of 1 John (1:1, 3-4) describes it this way, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life… (3) that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ. (4) And these things we write to you that your joy may be full.”
God’s people do not have to fear death, because it only frees us from the burdens of this life and leads us to the blessings of the next life.
It is worthy of note that although Simeon is a devout Jew he did not regard the birth of the Messiah as a blessing for the Jew alone for he said, in verse thirty two, “A light to bring revelation to the Gentiles, And the glory of Your people Israel.”
Listen to what the Old Testament says on this issue;
Psalm 98:2-3
”The LORD has made known His salvation; His righteousness He has revealed in the sight of the nations. (3) He has remembered His mercy and His faithfulness to the house of Israel; All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.”
Isaiah 42:6-9
"I, the LORD, have called You in righteousness, And will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the Gentiles, (7) To open blind eyes, To bring out prisoners from the prison, Those who sit in darkness from the prison house. (8) I am the LORD, that is My name;
And My glory I will not give to another, Nor My praise to carved images. (9) Behold, the former things have come to pass,
And new things I declare; Before they spring forth I tell you of them."
You can imagine the impact that the words of Simeon must have had on Joseph and Mary. Luke simply summarizes in verse thirty-three with the words, “Joseph and His mother marveled at those things which were spoken of Him.” The Greek word for “marvel” is also translated “amaze and wonder.” It is the same word that is later used to describe the disciple’s reaction when Jesus calmed the sea (Luke 8:25) and when he appeared after the resurrection saying, “it is I, myself, touch me and see” (Luke 24:39). From the beginning all the way to the end of his life Jesus continued to spark wonder and amazement in the hearts of people.
The text continues in verse thirty-four, “Then Simeon blessed them, and said to Mary His mother, “Behold in Israel, and for a sign which will be spoken against (35) (yes, a sword will pierce through your own soul also), that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed.” Simeon says that the coming of Christ will reveal the hearts of men, and divide men.
The apostle Peter later says, "…Behold, I lay in Zion A chief cornerstone, elect, precious, And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame." (7) Therefore, to you who believe, He is precious; but to those who are disobedient, "The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief cornerstone," (8) and "A stone of stumbling And a rock of offense." They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed. (9) But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;” (1Peter 2:6-8).
Simeon reveals that there will be people on both sides. Christ divides people into two camps, those who are his followers and his servants and those who reject Him. It is one or the other. There is no middle ground there is no third option.
In stating that “… this Child is destined for the fall and rising of many”(v. 34) he reveals that the necessary experience of all who come to Christ, is that we must bow before him in humility before we can rise to new life in Christ.
He tells Mary that Jesus will be a sign that is opposed and that this will be a sword that will pierce through your soul.
The verb used means a sword, which constantly kept on piercing her soul. “From our vantage point, we see her agonizing moment will stark clarity. One day she will stand below a blood-stained cross, watching with horror as life spills out of her precious son.” [Charles Swindoll. p. 60]
4. THEY BOTH LIVED EXPECTANTLY
We are now introduced to second person in our story, Anna whose name means, “grace.” Verse thirty-six introduces Anna, “Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, (fan-oo’-el) of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity; (37) and this woman was a widow of about eighty-four years, who did not depart from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day.”
She was at least 84 years of age, but if we understand the verse to say that she had been a widow for 84 years then she would be much older. ( 84 + 7 yrs. of marriage + her age at time of marriage = 103-105 yrs of age).
Anna had endured the heart-piercing experience of the loss of her husband by running to God and clinging to Him with a life of service and devotion. As a widow she remained single and lived out her life in the temple, occupied with prayer and fasting. Simeon had been divinely guided to the Temple; Anna was always there.
When she came up on the scene Simeon was just identifying that Jesus was the Messiah. Verse 38 tells us, “And coming in that instant she gave thanks to the Lord, and spoke of Him to all those who looked for redemption in Jerusalem.” She began at once to broadcast the good news to all those who were there.
I can’t help but wonder about the reaction of the Temple officials, were as they hurrying about doing what they thought was God’s business. Do they consider Simeon and Anna, old eccentrics, who’s devotion was futile, really just a nuisance! In so doing they refused to see this little gathering in the corner of the temple as a momentous turning point in history.
Application
What lessons can we learn from Simeon and Anna?
1. Both Simeon and Anna lived with expectancy in an age when few others truly believed in Christ coming. Christians should wait expectantly for the second coming of the Messiah. The apostle Paul says that we are to be “looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ” (Titus 2:13). His coming should be the preoccupation of our lives.
2. It is only by receiving Christ personally that you can have the peace to die.
3. It is our unchanging task to tell everyone we can about the redeemer.
As we close let me ask you a few questions. How eager are you to see Jesus “face to face?” How do you feel about the inevitability of your own death? Does life of you hold a single, dominating purpose?
